Dastan in Wonderland
by dearjenna
Summary: Time stand still for Dastan, Prince of Persia. When he finds a mysterious fountain that turns out to be the Pool of Tears, he finds himself in Wonderland and partnering up with Alyss, Queen of Hearts, to fix his world.
1. Chapter I

**Disclaimer: So, this should be obvious since this is , but out of courtesy to the creators/writers, I have to state that I, Jennifer, do not own either the Prince of Persia games, Alice in Wonderland, _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,_ or _The Looking Glass Wars_.**

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this story. I do not know how long this story will be, and I am not even sure what all is going to happen in it. I just write as I go along, really. Please leave me reviews and comments and tell me what you think. I think I have finally come to a good place with this chapter and will soon be moving on with the second.**

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"When you're soaring through the air,  
I'll be your solid ground.  
Angel, you were born to fly,  
And if you get too high,  
I'll catch you when you fall."  
-- _When You Come Back Down_ by Nickel Creek

* * *

A man with the power to control even the smallest grains in the Sands of Time is stuck in a life where time has come to a halt. Feeling as though he had been placed in a transparent dimension that overlapped the world he knew, he spent many days wandering around the still bodies captured in moments of terror. Dastan, Prince of Persia, could see their faces as danger had drawn near them. He could look into their eyes and see who the brave were, and who the cowards were.

When the Vizier of the Maharajah tricked the prince into releasing the Sands of Time from the Hourglass of Time two years before, all things considered living in Azad transformed into monsters; in a fight to save his life and save the world he knew, Dastan paired off with a woman by the name of Farah. He could remember her dark skin and hair and alluring eyes. The moment they shared together was forever stuck in his mind, even after her betrayal. Her death was just the beginning of his pain. He may have succeeded in changing life back to how it was, but it was not the end of terrorism on his home. With the Dagger of Time and his medallion around his neck, Dastan still retained all the powers the Hourglass of Time unveiled, but he could not control the Vizier's wrath that a small collection of men could not resist but enforce even after they had been returned to their original state. How and why time had halted was still unknown to Dastan, but something had gone terribly wrong, and he wanted to stop it.

In a time where darkness had poured over these citizens' lives every day, Dastan was pleased that those frozen in a frame with evil men swinging knives to their heads were still able to show some sort of emotion on their cold faces. Dastan wished to master that skill, after all his fighting the result was a lifeless warrior. Before the sudden glitch in the continuum, Persia looked at their prince and lowered their heads. They pitied the man that had lost so much of who he was. He hated this. His only joy came from the hope that one day times would get better and the Prince of Persia would be revered once again by his people.

After two years of wasting away in a still-life painting, Dastan hid away in a cove in the woods. There, it was dark, and he began keeping a journal made of papyrus paper with a leather cover bound by string. With ink he made from clay, spit, and a small amount blood, he set to work telling his story.

_Day One,  
I don't know where I am, and I don't know what I am doing here. Everything around me has stopped. I feel like I have been poisoned and these are the horrible side effects taken control of my system. Even worse, I feel as though I am trapped in a dream that I cannot shake myself from. I have tried slapping myself, letting something hurt me... Nothing works. __The ones that I love, cannot talk back to me. I cannot do anything but sit and stare at lifeless creatures around me. I lost my Dagger of Time somewhere along the way as I was running into the woods. I needed to get away--far away. I could not handle the silence any longer. I figured, if I went somewhere that was naturally quiet, I could find more reasoning behind not hearing any voices or feeling the warmth of someone's breath nearby..._

The diary entries would soon drift into memories of the past couple of years after that. He drove himself to near madness. His journal entries transformed from an eloquent use of language to very few words and many sketches of creatures that he had imagined while he slept--all he knew were nightmares by then. His diet consisted of aphids, mulberry fruits, and no liquids, causing disorientation and paranoia. One creature he drew more than any other was a blue, grotesque, but wise, caterpillar that was smoking a long pipe and blowing unique shapes into the air. At one point, it seemed as though the creatures he had drawn were coming off the pages and taunting him.

One night, the prince feverishly jumped up and ran out of his cove, unaware that he was actually alone and ran towards the center of the woods. Leaves that had fallen from their branches stuck in the air, scraping Dastan as he sped off through the damp and cold. There, he found a fountain that sparkled like the mythical Fountain of Youth. His eyes blinked several times--it had been so long since he saw something move on its own accord that his first reaction was to believe it was all in his mind. Days had passed since his last drink of water and the cottonmouth he had acquired added nothing but stress to his body and mind. He cupped his hands and slowly walked towards the fountain and placed them under the water that fell from the top. He drank, taking his time to enjoy every last drop. The water was sweet and icy cold, refreshing him and reviving his spirits. Dastan smiled for the first time in two years, and the muscles in his mouth hurt, but he smiled even brighter, happy to have a reason to do so.

The fountain was made of stone and circular. In the center, a decorative embellishment, almost like a statue, stood up with a small spout that spewed the water. The top of the embellishment was flat and when looked upon from above, Dastan could see four shapes that connected together--a heart, a spade, a club, and a diamond. _What is that?_ He observed a bit longer, but the water he had sipped before seem to already soak into his system like soil that was bone dry. He drank his last handful, and then began tracing his hand on the fountain's textural structure. Words were carved into the stone around the edge. "In the Pool of Tears you will find a world the looking glass hides," he read out loud. Curiously, he moved his hand up to the embellishment and wrapped his fingers around the top. The water stopped flowing. _What?_

The earth began to shake, and the world around Dastan broke apart until he was standing in the middle of nothingness. He looked around. The fountain was gone, and the ground beneath him began to glow. Darkness hit, Dastan was standing on a wooden platform in the middle of a stained glass heart of pink, orange, yellow. He looked around suspiciously. Nothing else could be seen around him. The platform seemed to stand millions of miles high. There was a design within the stained glass, and when he circled around, he could clearly see that it was his medallion--circular with a waning crescent moon in the center. The heart glowed brighter and the glass shattered. The prince fell through and landed in a forest, colorful and lively. The ground was shades of purple and light green and the trees and shrubbery were tall, curvy, and a deeper green. Something was nipping on Dastan's rear and he stood to his feet quickly. Violet snapdragons were squashed and hissing at him. "I'm sorry..." he said, without thinking.  
"As well you should be," said one snapdragon in an especially snooty tone. Dastan's eyes widened. _Did that thing just talk to me?_

He stepped backward. "Don't even think about it!" screamed a voice at him. He turned around a saw no one. "Who said that?" he asked.  
"Down here!" said a violet and Dastan looked down to see a cluster of violets glaring at him. "We saw what you did to the snapdragons!"  
"I'm sorry... I didn't--"  
"Just watch it!"  
"Sorry..."

The prince rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. _Where am I?_ He was confused and getting a headache. Walking a few feet, he stopped to see a large stone wall with two soldiers standing in front. They resembled cards of the heart suit and had the faces of men. They stood stoically with their spears crossed, stopping anyone from passing through the gate. "Where does this lead?" he asked one soldier. He was the two of hearts, and from what Dastan could tell, not exactly the smartest of the soldiers. "It leads to the castle, o' course!" his eyes were somewhat crossed.  
"May I enter?"  
"Not without an order from the Queen!"

Dastan was annoyed. He turned to walk a different way. Leaning against a tree was a young woman dressed in fantastical clothing and wearing a heavily embellished crown, all covered in hearts and colored white. She was looking down at marigolds that were humming a sweet tune. "Hello, stranger," she said, still not looking at Dastan. "What is your name?"  
He looked around. "Are you talking to me?"  
"Yes."  
"I am Dastan, Prince of Persia."  
The woman's eyes lit up and she turned to meet the rough specimen. "A prince, you said?"  
"Yes. Who may I ask are you?"  
The other laughed lightly. "I am Alyss, Queen of Hearts. I thought all of the Wondernations knew that."  
"What is the Wondernations?" Dastan asked.  
Alyss looked at him inquisitively. "You don't know where you are, do you?"  
"No. I just ended up here. I'm not sure how."  
Alyss looked at him understandingly and smiled, "Did you fall through the Pool of Tears?"  
"A fountain. It said something about the Pool of Tears on it."  
"Well, welcome to Wonderland, the best in all of the Wondernations," she said brightly. She smiled a stunning smile and Dastan bowed his head, smiling back. "Thank you," he said and noted her dark hair and bright eyes. The queen had sophistication that the prince had not seen in his kingdom in a while. "May I ask where Persia is?"  
"I could not tell you what it is relative to around here. I don't think I am even in the same world anymore."  
"No you are not, but I am sure I would know what you are speaking of," she walked towards him.  
"How--"  
"Follow me into the castle, I can get you cleaned up and fed," she interrupted.  
Dastan sighed. "Thank you."

They walked to the card soldiers who stood in the same stoic position. At the sight of Alyss, they quickly moved their spears with a simple twitch of their arm and the two new friends walked through and into a garden filled with snapdragons, marigolds, violets, and marguerites in an assortment of colors. Dastan had not seen such color in quite some time. A fuchsia larkspur and red rose rested at the castle doors. "Good afternoon, Queen!" they sang to her, and she bowed her head. "This way," she motioned to the prince, no longer behind her. When Alyss turned around, she spotted Dastan swatting furiously at a rocking horsefly that had gotten in his face while he was inspecting some lazy daisies. "Ha-ha! Just ignore that little thing. He will leave you alone when you begin to ignore it." Dastan looked up and saw the queen amused and chuckled embarrassingly. They both walked through the doors and into the Heart Castle.

.~.-.~.

After a hot bath and his clothes now cleaned, dried, and mended; Dastan stood in front of a convex mirror and pulled out a towel rubbing it through his hair and over his face. "Oh, Dastan!" someone called. The being knocked on the bathroom door. "Dastan, sir... Umm, Prince... Sir... Are you finished in there? Queen Alyss is ready for you in the royal garden." Dastan opened the door and Bibwit Harte stood behind it. He was a slender, tall creature with large, pointed ears and droopy eyes. He was trying to balance four very large books in his hand and began muttering to himself. Dastan was taken aback by the creature talking to himself and offered to carry a couple of books for him. "No, no sir. I have it, sir," Bibwit said nervously. "Just go to the royal garden. That is where Queen Alyss is waiting."  
"As you wish," Dastan bowed his head to the fellow and Bibwit reciprocated the act.

The royal garden was an open area with lots of sunlight peaking through the opening of the trees that surrounded the barrier of the castle grounds. A small, white table rested in the center with two chairs. Alyss sat in one. "Hello, prince," she said as he entered. "Won't you sit down and have some tea with me?"  
"Of course, your majesty," he smiled to her. Sitting down, Dastan was able to see the royal garden for what it truly was--bright green with bread-and-butterflies fluttering and dancing in little plots. The hedges were tall and card soldiers stood stoically against the hedges that were lined up behind Alyss. Dastan could not stop looking past Alyss as she attempted conversation with him. He was nervous having soldiers watching his every move. Alyss turned around to see what was distracting Dastan. "Oh..." she clapped her hands calmly. "As you were, gentlemen!" And with that, the cards began speaking to one another and paying hardly any attention to the two of them. "I am sorry for that, they have reason to be nervous when I bring guests into the castle. Wonderland has been through some rough times."  
"You do not know how well I can sympathize with that," he said and sipped some tea. "You said something about possibly knowing where I am from?"  
"Yes. You see, when I was young, I, too, was lunged into the Pool of Tears and I ended up in what I believe could be your world."  
"How did you get back?"  
Alyss looked down, and began fiddling with her tea cup. "That, Dastan, is too long of a story to tell you in one sitting." She took a sip. "But if you want, I can try to help you."  
"I am not sure if you can help me. Something terrible has happened in my world," he replied.  
"What is it?" Alyss asked. Dastan went through a brief explanation of his toying with the Hourglass of Time, the war with his people that had morphed into monsters, and the sudden glitch that his world has suffered due to his carelessness.  
"That is horrible," Alyss said with wide eyes. "What do you think you need?"  
"Well, for one, the fact that the Pool of Tears was even deep in the woods of my world is strange enough, I think--"  
"Not really," Bibwit said who appeared from the clearing. "When one is in desperate need of something new or an answer, sometimes you can imagine it there."  
"That is true," Alyss added. "Imagination is a key tool to master in Wonderland."  
"But I made the Pool of Tears appear!"  
"That might be my fault." Alyss said.  
"It is your fault, Alyss. I have been telling you since you were little to stop playing with White Imagination!" Bibwit said, looking frustrated at the woman. "According to my studies, the two of you could have linked your thoughts as she was daydreaming outside of the castle walls and you were in your paranoid state in the middle of the woods."  
"And that opened it up?" Dastan asked.  
"Yes," Bibwit replied.

Dastan reached for his medallion to discover it missing. "Oh no..." he said, exasperated.  
"What is it?" Alyss asked.  
"My medallion--it helps me control time. It must have fallen off... I have to go back."  
"Unfortunately, it could be anywhere by now. There are all sorts of creatures in Wonderland... It was shiny, wasn't it?" Alyss sipped her tea and waited for a response.  
"Yes."  
Bibwit sighed, "There are so many dim-witted creatures in Wonderland. Mr. Shiny could have attracted any of them."  
"Well, before I take your offer in assisting me, I _have_ to find that medallion."

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**Author's Note: Please leave me reviews! I keep getting so many hits, but no one is reviewing...**


	2. Chapter II

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter, I did not update right away because I was taking my time in what I believed should come next. **

**As an extra note, you may have noticed, that some of the things I use to describe Wonderland with, does not completely follow with _The Looking Glass Wars_. Part of the reason for this is it does not give an extraordinary definition of the world that the characters' reside. The impression is that you already have an idea of Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland or _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_. What I have done is taken the descriptions of creatures that are in _The Looking Glass Wars_, and taken what I know from the original story and Disney film, and simply subtracted the nonsensical and dramatic things that, according to the prologue of _The Looking Glass Wars_, Alyss was mad at Dodgson for writing. **

* * *

Two travelling, repulsive-looking, green caterpillars sat by the shore of Chessboard Desert, smoking long, thin pipes and blowing smoke into the air. The ground on which they stood looked like a large cluster of shapes, sand, dust, and smoke. Onlookers would have sworn they were floating like mystical genies. Glittering in the water, a strange object washed ashore. "What is that?" said one who spotted it first. "I don't know," said the other, and he picked it up. On the other end of it was a small creature hanging from the chain by one claw. "Get off, bugger!" the caterpillar exclaimed and shook the crab-like creature loose. The two companions examined the object closer and saw that it was a golden medallion.  
"Finders keepers!" one said and began waving it in front of the other, teasingly.  
"No way, I saw it first," said the other reaching for it. The two began fighting over the medallion until it hit the ground. They both stared at the object and then looked up at one another lazily. One caterpillar took a long puff from his pipe and then blew smoke into the air, shaped like the waning crescent embedded on the new-found treasure. "Seems a little pathetic that we are fighting over the first treasure that we manage to find on our travels," he said.  
"Not the first," the other corrected. "Let us not forget the oyster pearls that that rather obnoxious walrus traded us, for a bouquet of marguerites that he wanted for his garden."  
"Ah yes," the other blew another puff of smoke from his pipe and looked at his friend inquisitively. "Who could forget that strange fellow?" He scratched his chin.  
"Not I," the fellow caterpillar said and pulled out the bag full of shimmering white pearls. "Such a miraculous color."  
"Yes, yes, my good sir. Definitely a beautiful sight." The two picked up the medallion and stuck it in the same small, leather purse that held the pearls. "This 'ought to be worth something, don't you agree, my dear sir?"  
"Why yes," the other said and put out his pipe. "Where to next?"  
"I say we return to the Valley of Mushrooms. There is probably something there that we missed."  
"Alright then, fine fellow. Let us continue our journey." And off they went.

.~.-.~.

After tea: Alyss, Dastan, Bibwit, and two four-card soldiers set off through Wondertropolis--Wonderland--out the palace gates, and towards the Whispering Woods, close to where Dastan had landed. They walked past the wet ground from which Dastan emerged next to the violets and snapdragons that had yet to forget about the prince and his attack on their home plots. The snapdragons hissed and Alyss laughed heartily. "I see you made more than a few friends while you were here."  
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Dastan huffed. "Let's look around here, first." The five looked around. Dastan walked over to the wet spot on the ground, ignoring the flowers that tried to nip at his arm, and moved his hand through the grass, leaves, and dirt. Nothing. The two card soldiers with them attempted to look in some shrubbery until one could be heard screaming. The other ran over to assist him and found that his fellow soldier got his head caught in some weeds. Bibwit rolled his eyes and began muttering to himself again. Alyss simply stood in the middle of the group and shut her eyes slowly. Dastan turned around to see the queen, arms folded, and eyes shut. "What are y--"  
"Shh!" Bibwit interrupted and waved his arm exhaustingly. Rolling his eyes once more, he went back to what he was doing. "Dumb oaf, you do not interrupt imagination. Especially not the Queen's concentration!" When Alyss opened her eyes, she saw that nothing had happened. Sighing she walked towards the edge of the Whispering Woods and closed her eyes again. Raising her hands, the trees and shrubbery that blocked them, bowed to their queen and opened up a path.  
"This way, gentlemen," she said, commanding their attention. "It is not here. We shall continue on." At that, the soldiers assumed the position for a march.  
"I second that statement," Bibwit said and walked towards the Queen of Hearts. "If it were here, it would probably be obvious. I've used all physical and imaginative means I can conjure to bring the medallion--if within this vicinity at all--back, and my attempts have been less-than-successful."  
Dastan sighed, "How far could it have gotten?"  
"Only time will tell," said one card soldier. They walked into the woods, and left the Wondertropolis boundary lines.

The woods were dark and the trees moved gracefully through the wind. "Shut up, shut up!" Bibwit could be heard muttering, and this time, even Alyss stopped and stared at him curiously.  
"What is it, Bibwit?"  
"Listen..." Bibwit spoke softly, looking up at the tops of the trees. The whole group looked up and heard noises. _What?_ Dastan could not understand what was going on. Suddenly, Alyss raised her hands and spoke aloud. "Do not be alarmed, friends." The trees moved through the wind again. "What is that..? An intruder, you say? Where?" The trees were knocked around by a heavy breeze that pushed Dastan, Bibwit, and the cards backward. Alyss stood her ground against the wind, while her clothes and hair danced around. "Bibwit!" she commanded.  
"Y-Yes, your majesty?"  
"There is someone at the edge of the woods. Take the cards and find him. The prince and I will stay where we are."  
"Yes, your majesty," he replied. Bibwit Harte despised chores such as these.  
"Do not worry, Dastan," Alyss spoke softly and smiled a stunning smile. Dastan merely gazed in her direction.

Several moments went by and Alyss became worrisome, the fear could be seen in her glossy eyes. Dastan walked over to her and placed an arm around her shoulder; he knew what she was thinking--he was thinking it, too. "I am sure they are alright, Alyss." He said soothingly. Alyss looked over at Dastan and smiled softly and closed her eyes. "I just wish I could imagine them." The trees began to sway and Alyss opened her eyes. "They are coming."  
"Who is with them?"  
"They won't say," she sighed, disappointed. Footsteps were heard from far away. "Who goes there?" she called into the darkness. Dastan removed his arm from her shoulder and she grabbed his hand quickly out of fear. A loud noise could be heard. "It is I," said a strong voice.  
"Show yourself!" she declared. Swiftly, a large object sped towards the two and Dastan pulled her out of the way. Once the object stuck into a nearby tree, a distinct groan came from its branches. Alyss walked over and saw that it was the familiar weapon of a friend. "That mad Hatter!" she said with great joy.  
"Who?"  
"Yes, Queen," said that same voice. "It is I, Hatter Madigan, at your service." The man stood tall and strong. "Who is this?" he asked gesturing towards Dastan who stood up tall next to him. "I am Dastan, Prince of Persia."  
"Persia?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"I remember mentions of Persia years ago. When I set out looking for our dear Queen of Hearts--when she was just a princess--two travelers in a bar were speaking of such a place," he said. Turning to Dastan, Alyss introduced the two, "This is Hatter Madigan, as you have heard. He is my bodyguard, and has been loyal to the royal Hearts for as long as anyone can remember," she smiled at the man. Hatter let a small smile form on his lips, and then quickly let it fade into his usual stern disposition.  
"What are you all doing here?" Hatter asked, suddenly realizing that they were outside the Palace walls.  
"We are helping my new friend, here. He fell through the Pool of Tears--"  
"Due to the Queen's carelessness," Bibwit interrupted; Hatter rolled his eyes and Alyss pushed Bibwit aside.  
"He fell through the Pool of Tears; his world is in trouble, and the only way we could even think about helping him is if we find his medallion."  
"Medallion?"  
"Yes," Dastan said. "Gold. Moon in the center of it. On a heavy chain. Ring a bell?"  
"I saw _something_ to that extent. I am sorry to say I was busy with my own affairs and did not bother to stop the little bugger that had it."  
"Where?" Dastan said, eagerly.  
"The little crab was crawling across the shore and into the ocean towards Outerwilderbeastia, but that was when I was back over near the edge, way over there," he pointed towards the very edge of the woods.  
"Oh, great..." Alyss moaned.  
"What is Outerwilderbeastia?"  
"It is the center of the Wondernations. A lot of water and land filled with random creatures that you would never wish to cross paths with," Alyss said.  
"Look at the sky, though," Bibwit interjected, pointing towards an opening in the woods. The wind was blowing hard and the rain was striking the ground like a match to pavement. "I doubt the little creature made it to Outerwilderbeastia."  
"True," said Hatter, sounding darker than before, and reaching over for his hat to place it back on his head. "He could have been taken off course."  
"Everlasting Forest?" Alyss asked.  
"Never. Crabs are not the brightest, but they do know that they would never survive in such an area," Bibwit replied.  
"Chessboard Desert?" Hatter asked.  
"That is a more plausible hypothesis," Bibwit returned.

.~.-.~.

Arguing back-and-forth, the two travelers began pulling at the leather purse while covered in clouds of smoke. One balancing his pipe in his mouth while tugging with his free hands began speaking, but it only came out in mutters and emitted more smoke from his nostrils. Frustrated and exhausted, the two sluggish creatures stopped tugging and the one without his pipe threw the bag at his friend. "There, you can hold it. I trust you, mate."  
"What? All of a sudden?"  
"Well, I was thinking, as we were tugging, about all the times that you had opportunities to lie to me, and refused. You are a good fellow."  
"Aw, thank you, my fine friend. You are a travelling companion like no other." He tucked away the purse in his bag and they continued walking. "I cannot believe we actually thought that we would steal from one another."  
"Let us continue and perish the thought."  
"Hear, hear!" the other said, throwing his arms, triumphantly, into the air.

A mere three miles away, Dastan, Alyss, and the gang were making their way out of the Whispering woods. Dastan and Alyss were laughing amongst themselves--mostly at Mr. Harte's expense--and making Hatter smile more than usual for his character. They finally reached the opening that circled around Wondertropolis to Chessboard Desert, when the two caterpillars were in sight. "Good day," grumbled one towards the others. Dastan became frightened and closed himself in towards Alyss and Hatter. The queen looked at him concerned. "Don't mind them, prince; they are mean towards everyone but their own."  
"Yes, but..." Dastan began. Hatter stopped, as did everyone else.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Well, before I fell into the Pool of Tears, I started having these... Dreams... Nightmares, really."  
"What were the dreams of?" Alyss asked, concern covering his face. She grabbed his wrist.  
"Those... _Things_ over there..."  
"The caterpillars?" Bibwit joined in. "That is a little strange." Bibwit turned to Hatter Madigan. "Hatter..." He whispered.  
"What?" Hatter said.  
"Get their attention, there is something fishy about two creatures such as those wandering outside their natural niche."  
"You're right," he whispered back. "You there!" Hatter shouted to the two. Lazily, the incongruous creatures both turned around.  
"Yes?"  
"By order of the Queen, a search has been placed on the two of you!" Alyss spoke out.  
"Why is that?" one caterpillar snootily questioned, looking Hatter up and down.  
"Why is that?" Hatter glared at the two and took a step towards them. The folds over the creatures' eyes spread out as they widened in fear. Hatter continued, "You dare challenge the Queen of Hearts?" The caterpillars stepped back. "Empty your pockets and bags," he commanded. The gruesome green monsters did as they were told. As Hatter approached the bag that contained the medallion, one of them reacted with a small gruff and tried to cover it up as though her were just clearing his throat. Hatter stopped rummaging through it and smirked. "Why _is _it that two caterpillars, such as yourself, would be caught here, in Chessboard Desert, and not in the Everlasting Forest where you belong?"  
"We are travelers," one said grumpily.  
"Travelers? Must mean you enjoy the pleasures of finding new treasures, does it not?"  
"Maybe so."  
"Oh, I think it is so," and reached into the bag and pulled out their small, leather purse. "What is in here?"  
"A few findings along the way," one caterpillar admitted and noticed his companion flashing him a look of grief. Hatter opened the purse and found many pearls surrounding a medallion. "Prince?"  
"Yes?"  
"A waning crescent... That is what lies in the center of your medallion--correct?"  
"Yes!"  
"Here you are," he said, and threw the medallion to the Persian royal.  
"Thank you," Dastan sighed and strung the medallion around his neck. The nakedness that he had felt from its absence was relieved.  
"Get out of here, you slimy worms," Hatter scoffed at the two caterpillars who were scared white. They gathered their things and continued on their way. "I am glad we found that."  
"What is weird is how easy it was," Dastan observed.  
"You're right... Let us just keep an eye out," Alyss said.

.~.-.~.

Hatter built a fire. It was dark and cold and the clan found relief near the shore of the desert. Bibwit Harte and the cards were fast asleep in a cozy, elaborate tent that Alyss had imagined. "The Pool of Tears is on the other side of Wondertropolis," Hatter said as he laid his head down on a pillow. "We will continue in the morning."  
"We will get you home, Dastan," Alyss said sweetly, rubbing his arm. They sat side-by-side on a log.  
"I don't think I can go back home to the silence, though."  
Alyss frowned and grabbed his hand. "Well, you need a little bit of help when you get there, don't you?"  
"Yes."  
"We won't leave you until the job is done," she said smiling that stunning smile he had grown to love. He smiled back, and they both looked to the fire that mirrored the warmth growing inside them. The night faded into darkness, and they fell asleep.

_It was dark, and Farah and Dastan stood across from one another in nothing but a complete, stone room lit by two candles on either side. As the flame licked the wick of the candles, the light flickered on and off, making it difficult to focus on one another. She was angry. He was not. "You will never get anywhere, the way you let people walk all over you, Dastan." Farah looked at Dastan with her dark, alluring orbs. The prince felt as though they were smoldering him. The dark hue he used to adore resembled something more of a dark, putrid coal. The air was thin and a psychedelic force had taken over his body and mind. Dastan was not even sure that his feet were touching the ground. "You are a failure," Farah continued. "It is so easy to drive you from your goals."  
"That's not true, Farah. Don't twist you and I into something as small as that," he said frustrated.  
"Well, why else would I have taken off after that damned Vizier locked us up together?" she smirked.  
"Quit running away, Farah... Please. You'll never get anywhere if you keep running away. You have to try and fix things."  
"That is the problem with you: you are always trying to fix things, even when no one has asked you to," Farah said, laughing lightly. _

_Dastan walked to her slowly and grabbed her hands. The walls shook, and the ground beneath Farah crumbled. She began to fall. Dastan jumped back, and suddenly felt his heart rip out of his chest. Falling to his knees, he clenched the edge of the floor tightly; the broken stone scraped and pierced his hands. He remembered what they had. They both knew it was stronger than just one moment; there were several smaller moments that added up into something bigger. He remembered. That was all that mattered. A hand touched his shoulder. The Prince of Persia turned to see Alyss standing before him, wearing a gown more accustomed to Persian women--figure hugging and of a simple, sleek fabric. Her dark hair fell a couple of inches past her shoulder and her eyes gazed into his. He stood up. "Forget her, Dastan," she spoke softly and grabbed his hands. "This is about us now. She may think changing things is pointless, but I know when you make a mistake, the world cannot truly forgive you until you fix what you broke." He embraced her, holding her close. _

_Warmth overwhelmed the coldness that had just consumed his chest cavity and he held her even tighter. The warmth, however, distracted him from the medallion that was being taken from around his neck. Alyss pulled away and put the medallion around her neck. "What are y--"  
"Shh..." Alyss said, soothingly, and closed her eyes. With a flick of her wrist, a large monster was summoned from her imagination. The monster stood forty feet tall with teeth twice the size of Dastan's head. He jumped back in fear, but the jabberwocky was quicker and digested the prince quicker than he could blink. _

Dastan woke, it being only the middle of the night. Alyss was sleeping, her head resting on his shoulder. He continued to hold her close, but double-checked that his medallion was in its proper place. After the confirmation eased his mind, he used his free hand to wipe away the cold sweat from his brow. _In what condition will they return me home, I wonder?_

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**Author's Note: Please leave me reviews! I keep getting so many hits, but no one is reviewing...**


	3. Chapter III

**Author's Note: If situations or dialogue seem improbable or juvenile in writing, then that type of criticism would be greatly appreciated. So, please leave me reviews. I have more than 100 unique hits on this story. I should be getting reviews...**

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"We have to keep moving forward if we hope to get to The Pool of Tears soon," Hatter said as everyone helped dismantle the camp. Alyss readjusted her crown on her head, and Bibwit began flipping through a rather large textbook. The group set off, and Dastan still felt uneasy about the previous night's dream. When he had closed his eyes again that night, all he dreamt was him continuously falling into nothingness. _Why do I keep dreaming these things? _The turning of the pages in Bibwit's book began to drive the group mad. "What are you doing, Harte?" Hatter asked with large doses of tension fumigating the air he exhaled.  
"I am reading, Madigan." Alyss and the two card soldiers giggled.  
Hatter, with his tongue digging into his cheek, replied, "Clearly... But I am curious as to why you are making so much noise." His face was boiling red, as he began clinching his fists.  
"Oh.... I... I'm terribly sorry," the timid tutor said. "I am just looking through an old text, hoping it will give some sort of advice that our young prince might be able to use on this little adventure of his." Hatter huffed. Dastan slowed his pace to match Bibwit's, who was in the very back reading.  
"What kinds of things do you mean?" he asked.  
"Well, you might find it interesting that there are actually a lot of similarities between your world and ours."  
"I don't know about that."  
Bibwit looked up at Dastan inquisitively. "Could that possibly just be your state of mind due to its current predicament?" Dastan let that sink in. "I think you would probably be interested to know that many of the technologies in your world, were actually invented in ours decades, even centuries, before." Bibwit continued reading, taking extra care not to flip the pages disruptively, always keeping one watchful eye towards the peculiarly temperamental bodyguard.  
One four-card began marching beside the queen. "Oh, your majesty?" he whispered.  
"Yes?"  
"Is there any particular reason that Mr. Hatter is somewhat out-of-character today?"  
Alyss smiled to her soldiers. "Oh, he probably didn't sleep easy last night. He is a studious protector, after all."  
"Yes, your majesty." he replied and fell back in line with his fellow soldier.  
"He needs to take a chill pill," said the other, chuckling softly. Hatter stopped walking and glared at the two. They lowered their heads. "Sorry..." Hatter continued walking.  
"Look at this, prince," Bibwit said. "It speaks of time, here."  
"What does it say?" Dastan asked eagerly.  
"Hmm..."  
"Well?"  
"It seems as though the issue in your world, may not be your _all_ your fault."  
"That's impossible," Dastan said, discouraged.

_The people of Azad were healing; open wounds sewn shut. Only a few remained loyal to the Vizier's original vision. However, Dastan, Prince of Persia, was losing confidence in his battle with evil--clans that moved in the shadows, inviting evil into their neck of the world, were rapidly growing in numbers. Trapped in a dungeon with three hefty criminals, Dastan faced a most certain death. Pointed clubs raced towards him, followed closely by their owners. Dastan quickly jumped up, and closed his eyes. The Dagger of Time in his hand shook subtly, and the tip of the blade began glowing. The men rammed into one another and lacerated each member. It was Dastan's chance! He flipped backwards and let gravity do the rest. With the Dagger of Time falling first, the prince was sure to stab each villain with great force. He stabbed through the craniums of each man, but the sounds of breathing were not all that stopped. In a petrifying slow-motion, Dastan felt himself hit the ground, breaking the stone beneath him, and a surge soon followed that seemed to silence more than just the three underneath his feet. His father, King Sharaman, used to tell him stories about the articles of Time. His voice was suddenly ringing in Dastan's ear like one piercing note. "The biggest mistake that any man can make is abusing the Time tools as if they were regular weapons. One has to be careful. Time is more than just two-dimensional--there are more dimensions to it than we could ever comprehend. You cannot pretend you are a god just because you can tamper with mere minutes and seconds. It can have permanent damage beyond repair." But he did not listen. The one story, to go in and out of Dastan's ears, was the one he needed most. Dastan had used his medallion and Dagger of Time irresponsibly for the past year and it finally caught up to him. Dastan stood up and looked around him. Maybe it was nothing. He walked outside and found people frozen in their places. His world had ended._

"Our world may have more than just a technological influence on your world," Bibwit said to himself.  
"What do you mean?"  
"When Alyss and you both linked imaginations, the Pool of Tears appeared in your world. Someone here must have linked imaginations with someone in your world to cause the halt in the continuum."  
"Who?"  
"Who in your world would wish something evil on all of humanity?"  
"That's a long list. Do you have any ideas for who would have done such a thing in yours?"  
"Unfortunately, I have a definite idea." Everyone stopped walking and turned to one another.  
"Y... You don't think Redd is behind all of this, do you?" One card trembled and grabbed the other.  
"Who else could he possibly mean?" Alyss said, her voice trapped in the back of her throat, and her eyes disheartened.  
"Don't worry about it, your majesty," Hatter said. He turned to Bibwit. "How could Redd even be a part of this? We haven't seen her for years," his voice was deep with concern and darker than ever. Bibwit began muttering to himself. "What?" Hatter asked.  
"I am trying to sort it out, Madigan! Hold yourself together." The tutor took some more time to put together his thoughts. "It has to be Redd. Her accomplices have no power without her."  
"Well, then," Alyss said, adjusting her posture. "We will just have to be ready for a fight."  
The two card soldiers followed her example, "Hear, hear!" They cheered.  
"Well, wait! What's next? Do we go to the Pool of Tears and enter my world, or do we stay here?"  
"If Redd is back," Alyss began, "Then, we probably need to go to the Valley of Mushrooms and find the caterpillars."  
"But aren't the caterpillars trouble?"  
"Oh, you mean those two buffoons from before? Who knows where they came from! There is a small group of caterpillars that look after the Heart Crystal--the power to the throne of the Heart Castle. They will know if something is happening. They always do."  
"Haven't failed us yet," Bibwit chimed in. Hatter rolled his eyes. "I really wish we had discovered this beforehand."  
"Hatter, how about you let me lookout tonight so you can get some rest," Dastan offered. Alyss chuckled.  
"Yes, we'll lookout together," she said.

.~.-.~.

Many have said that the highest peak of Snark Mountain might as well be renamed Mount Isolation. Particularly since Redd's few, unknown, remaining soldiers had been spotted there several times. Of course, those that gave their testimonies to having seen the card-droids were already regarded as loony. "Typical mountain hicks," some said. But, it was a safe bet that Redd's Fortress on Mount Isolation was no longer being occupied. If Alyss's dark aunt was wise, she would have fled to an entirely unheard of world. But alas, she did not. "My plans are falling into place, it seems." Redd spoke softly to The Cat--her most trusted companion and warrior. "I wonder if that alien knows that he will have to get through me to get back home." She laughed maniacally and The Cat snickered. The two were huddled together in a small cave on top of the mountain. With few weapons and four six-card soldiers, the mini-battalion had been practicing Black Imagination. The only glitch in their plan was the fact that all of the soldiers were extremely rusty with their imaginative powers; no oil can found on Earth or in the Wondernations could save them. Nothing but practice could bring Redd and her army back to the level that had once instilled fear into all Wonderlanders.

.~.-.~.

Quickly moving through the Whispering Woods once again, the group found themselves on the outskirts of the Valley of Mushrooms. "The Heart Crystal is in the center," Bibwit directed and the group walked through the somewhat fair terrain until they reached the center where six oracle-like caterpillars sat around chatting about their day--each one with their own distinctive color of red, yellow, orange, green, blue, or purple. All of the caterpillars were grotesque in appearance, but there was an aura about all of them that made them seem more wise than any other creature Dastan had ever stumbled upon--even wiser than Bibwit Harte. "Welcome, your majesty!" cheered the blue caterpillar somewhat lazily. His Hookah pipe stuck out of his mouth like an extension of himself and he bowed his head to Hatter and Bibwit, showing high regard. "Who is this?" gesturing to Dastan.  
"This is our new friend," Alyss said. "He is Dastan, Prince of Persia. He came to us through the Pool of Tears."  
"Ah yes, we heard rumblings of the sort earlier yesterday."  
"I am sure you did," Alyss replied. Hatter stood tall and kept an eye on their surroundings. The purple caterpillar noted his behavior and nudged the blue one.  
"Oh, him?" The blue caterpillar whispered. "He _is_ acting rather strange, isn't he?"  
"He has reason to be, I'm afraid," Bibwit said, overhearing the two. "We think Redd is behind certain trouble at his home."  
"Hmm... Now that you mention it, we have seen some strange things coming from Snark Mountain," the purple one replied.  
"Oh not you too," Alyss said exasperatingly. "Do you honestly think my aunt would be that obvious?"  
"Only if she thought no one else would suspect her to be," the blue caterpillar pointed out.

A sudden vermillion flash could be seen, illuminating the skies from Snark Mountain to the depths of Outerwilderbeastia. "What was that?" Hatter said, alarmed. A rumble shook the rocks off the mountain and snapped some of the smallest mushrooms near the caterpillars' tracks. Alyss's face morphed from her caring, friendly demeanor, to that of a that was more stern and serious. Bibwit and the caterpillars had not seen her put on such a queenly face in a long time. They were both pleased and proud. The rumbling had ceased, but a roar could still be heard and was encroaching on the group. They stared in the direction of the sound only to be greeted by hundreds of baby guinea pigs. "What the-" Hatter had almost gone cross-eyed in confusion. After the last few guinea pigs had run past them all, four six-card soldiers came running next with utterly horrified looks on their droid-like faces. Hatter Madigan reached out his foot and tripped them. Landing face-first in the dirt, they looked up and with a flick of the bodyguard's wrist, his bracelets opened up and released knives that tore the cards apart.  
"THAT'S NOT BLACK IMAGINATION!" screamed a woman, and the shrill, scraggly scream was recognized by everyone except the obvious, Dastan.  
"Who was that?" the prince asked.  
"Redd," said Hatter coldly. The dark red rogue appeared from between some mushrooms and stopped dead in her tracks upon sighting the enemy.  
"Well, well, well," she taunted.  
"Where did you come from Redd?" Alyss asked, standing taller and looking more mature and royal than Dastan had previously associated with the woman.  
"From up top old Snarky, there!" she said cackling. "It's so nice to see you, too. It is funny that we should see each other like this. I trust you saw my ridiculous soldiers."  
"Yeah, we saw them," replied Alyss, stepping back to reveal the dead opposition.  
"Oh?" Redd said nervously.  
"Yes, oh," said Hatter. "Guinea pigs? Pretty terrifying." A dark smirk covered his face, his eyes now shadowed by the rim of his top hat.  
"Yes, well... Clearly you can see what I have been dealing with. It's quite humiliating." Redd was growing more nervous.  
"Oh, I'm sure," Hatter said. Redd took a step back and her closed her eyes. "Good-bye," she whispered and vanished.  
"Where is the Heart Crystal?" Alyss asked quickly to the caterpillars.  
"Don't worry, your majesty," said the blue caterpillar. "I have it safe and sound, rest assured." The caterpillars lead the group to some mushrooms that formed a circular patch. The Heart Crystal rested in the middle. "See?"  
"Thank you," Alyss said relieved. "Please continue to guard it with your life."  
"Yes, Queen Alyss." The caterpillars all bowed their head to the Queen of Hearts and the group made their way out of the Valley of Mushrooms and back to the edge of the Whispering Woods.  
"Where to now, Hatter?" Bibwit asked, still somewhat stunned from the scene that had unraveled before them. Hatter looked up at the sky.  
"We're going to setup camp," Alyss commanded.  
"Yes. That seems best," Hatter Madigan added.

Everyone started to settle down and Alyss and Dastan did as they said, staying up and being the lookout so Hatter could catch up on lost sleep. The group decided to stop at a nearby shore. The prince and queen sat in the sand, letting their feet get rinsed by the low tide. "So," Dastan threw a pebble into the water. "That woman… Was your aunt?"  
"Correct," Alyss replied.  
"I see the resemblance," he joked.  
Alyss hit him teasingly. "Gee, thanks."  
"No problem," he laughed.  
"So, are we going to search for her?"  
"She's not ready?"  
"Are you seriously going to give her a fair fight?"  
"She deserves to be defeated with honor and grace."  
"What makes you say that?"  
Alyss's eyes began to water. "No matter all the pain she has caused me, I would never give her the satisfaction of stooping to her level."  
Dastan reach his arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder in response. "Don't worry about it. We'll get her together. Then, you all can help me in my world with whomever it is that is working with her."


End file.
